Marykate O’Neil
Underground
71 Recordings
by David Chiu
Just like Marykate O’Neil’s previous two full-length albums, Underground continues to mine some strong melodic power pop/folkish hooks. It’s a very lush album with some tender ballads, such as “Mr. Friedman” and “Me, the Bee, The Miner,” complemented by the hooky country-pop of “Nashville.” In addition to having a strong voice, O’Neil is a gifted storyteller as evident on tracks like the nostalgic “Green Street” and the poppy adieu of “So Long.” She also turns in a nice, shimmering cover of Joe Jackson’s “Different for Girls.” Despite the underlying lyrical sense of yearning, Underground is a charming and winning old-school pop record.
A video of “Nashville” by Marykate O’Neil
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